R.E.M. has announced a 25th anniversary reissue of their 1998 album, “Up”, set for release on November 10th. Craft Recordings celebrates the 25th anniversary of R.E.M.’s bestselling 11th studio album, “Up”, with a series of expanded and remastered reissues, all of which are available for pre-order today and set for release on November 10th.
The collection includes a newly remastered version of the album, plus a previously unreleased 11-song set taken from the band’s 1999 appearance on the TV show “Party of Five2. There are also new interviews with the members, music videos and more.
“The intersection of visual and musical art is always interesting, so it was cool to be a part of TV,” bassist Mike Mills recalled in a press release. “There are dozens of great R.E.M. live sets out there, but nothing quite like this up-close oddity,” Josh Modell writes in the set’s liner notes. “Loose and happy, the band runs through a good chunk of “Up” in front of a small crowd. … Stipe is chatty, telling stories about accidentally ripping off Billy Corgan (and telling Corgan about it), playing with the Human League on a funny stage at that very venue and more.”
R.E.M.’s appearance on the hit TV series “Party of Five” was filmed on February 17th, 1999 at Los Angeles’ Palace Theatre (with “At My Most Beautiful” airing in an episode). While taping, the band decided to perform an impromptu set in front of a crowd populated by R.E.M. fan club members, cast and crew. The intimate concert served as an opportunity for the band to rehearse their latest Up material – plus their hits – ahead of touring.
The Deluxe 2-CD/1 Blu-Ray edition offers a wealth of material for fans, including the band’s previously unreleased set from their guest appearance on the hit TV series, “Party of Five“. Captured in 1999, the performance includes an 11-song setlist (including enduring hits like “Man on the Moon,” “Losing My Religion,” and “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)”), plus a spoken-word introduction. The accompanying Blu-ray features HD music videos from the 1998 album (“Daysleeper,” “Lotus,” “At My Most Beautiful”), a six-song performance from the era (titled Uptake), recorded in a London studio, the album’s original EPK, plus stunning hi-resolution and 5.1 surround sound audio. Housed in a 32-page hardcover book, the collection also includes new liner notes from journalist and Talkhouse Executive Editor Josh Modell (A.V. Club, SPIN, Rolling Stone, Vulture), featuring new interviews with the band members. The expanded reissue, which features the album, plus the “Party of Five” performance in its entirety, can also be found on 2-CD, digital, and hi-res configurations, while the 14-track, 2-LP album will be reissued on 180-gram vinyl. A limited-edition pressing on Green Marble vinyl is also available exclusively at R.E.M.’s official store along with special Up merchandise. All reissue formats feature newly remastered audio by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering.
The 25th Anniversary Edition of R.E.M.’s UP, coming soon from Craft Recordings.
The Fat Angel Sings 